Electric cut-out



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G. G. PERKINS & J. T-REGONING ELEOTRIU 0UT-OUT. No. 380,766. PatentedApr. 10, 1888.

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ELEGTRIO OUT-OUT.

Patented Apr. 1'0, 1888.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. PERKINS AND JOHN TREGONING, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRIC CUT-OUT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 380,766, dated April10, 1888.

Application filed July .2, 1887. Serial No. 243,224. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES G. PERKINS and JOHN TREGONING, citizens ofthe United States, and residents of the city of Hartford, county ofHartford, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electric Cut-Outs, of which the'following is a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The main object of our invention is to provide easy and certain meansfor connecting up electric circuits with interposed safety catches orstrips; and to this end it consists, broadly, of a block or base ofinsulating material supporting one or more safety-strips, in combination with a second block or base with which the first can beconveniently connected in such a manner as to make a spring-connectionbetween the terminals on the respective bases.

Our invention is embodied in a device which is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a side elevation ofthe cut-out for connecting up main and branch wires, showing theposition and manner of binding the main wires. Fig. 2 is an endelevation of same. Fig. 3 is a plan of the cutout block with coverremoved; Fig. 4, a vertical section on line 00 w of Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a

similar section on line 3/ y, Fig. 3; Fig. 6, a

perspective view of the block supporting the safety strips. Figs. 7, 8,9, and 10 are details.

Referring to the first ten figures of the drawings, the cut-out consistsof the body A and its cover A. These are constructed of wood,papier-mach, or other suitable insulating material. The cover fits overthe body andis held in place by spring-catches a. The cover serves toprotect the mechanism from dust and injury. The edges of the body orbase A are cut away, as shown, leaving a ledge, which is occupied on theends of the cut-out block by the cover, while at the sides the space isleft clear, the cover being cut away, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for thepurpose. Along this space the two main wires 13 B are run, and are heldin place by the slips or brackets b b, which are provided withset-screws b for clamping the wire in place. The brackets are ofconducting material, and have inward extensions, b over the top of theblock. One of these bracketsis provided for each wire, and

they are located near diagonally-opposite corners of the block. At theother two corners of the block,and arranged in like manner, are securedtwo metallic plates, 0 c, which carry binding-posts c c for the tap orbranch wires C C. These four metallic plates-via, b I) and c c-arecountersunk in the block, so that they are flush with the upper surfacethereof. The center of the block is perforated, and in the perforationlies a bolt, D. This bolt projects above the face of the block and has aconical head. Its lower end carries a screw, d, whose head extendsbeyond the sides of the bolt and serves as a shoulder against whichacoiled spring, d, occupying an enlargement of the central perforation,may exert its force to draw the bolt downward. The movement ,of the boltin this direction is limited by a shoulder on the upper part of thebolt, as shown.

Fig. 6 shows a perspective of an insulatingblock, E, provided with abutton-hole slot, e, adapted to he slid under the head of the bolt D.The block is also provided with a perforation in each of its fourcorners. In the perforations are inserted postsffand ff, which are ofpeculiar construction.

Referring to Figs. 5, 7, and 8, the posts are shown as having at theirupper ends a clamping-screw, f while their lower ends are boredlongitudinally to receive a plug or presserfoot, f which isspring-supported therein. Figs. 7, 8, and 10 show two different ways ofsupporting the foot by springs. In Fig. 7 the spring is coiled andplaced at the bottom of the boring, and in Fig. 8 a spring-washer isinserted between the lower end of the post and the shoulder of thepresser-foot. Fig. 10 is a face view of the washer. As before stated,one

of these posts is inserted in each of the perfo rations in the block E,and when so located they are coupled up in pairs by means of a strip ofsome good conducting metal or alloy which will fuse at a comparativelylow temperature. This strip is shown in detail in Fig. 9. The hookedends pass under the heads of screws f and are clamped in place. Thereduced portion at the middle of the strip determines the point at whichthe strip will fuse.

Block E is secured to the base A by sliding it under the head of thebolt D, which operates as a clamp to hold the parts together. The blockis moved along, with the bolt in the slot, until the head of the boltdrops into the enlarged part of the slot. The block is then heldsecurely in place by the power of the spring acting on the bolt.

The presser-feetf of the several posts stand normally below the block E,so that when the block is inserted in place they press against theplates 1) b" and c c and make good springconnection therewith. This iseffected not only by the spring acting through the bolt D, but also bythe springs acting on the several presser-feet.

A guide-pin, p, is inserted in the face of the block A to indicate anddetermine the position of block E with reference to block A, and theposts in block E are coupled up in pairs by the safety-strips in such amanner that a current of electricity may have free passage from the mainto the branch wires. The course of the current in the block shown isobvious and need not be detailed.

Where there are four contacts to be made, as in the described form ofcutout, there is great danger that one of the contacts will beimperfect, or will not be made at all. This might easily be caused by aslight warping of the insulatingblock or the base to which it isattached. By the spring-connections above described the danger isobviated.

It will be seen that the blocks can be easily inserted in place orwithdrawn, while the springs afford a practical certainty that thecontacts will be electrically good.

What we claim is- 1. An insulating-block carrying two or more fusiblestrips for separate circuits, combined and detachably connected with asuitable supporting-block carryingterminals to separate circuits,substantially as described.

2. An insulating-block carrying two or more fusible strips for separatecircuits, at suitable supporting-block carrying terminals to separatecircuits, and a spring-clamp for coupling said block to its support.

3. An insulatiug block carrying circuit-terminals connected in pairs bysafety-strips, the said block having a button-hole slot, as described,incombination with a spring button bolt for securing the block in place,substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a block supporting the terminals of a main anda branch circuit, of a movable block supporting safetystrips, saidstrips, when the block is in place, making connection between the mainand branch circuit terminals.

5. The combination, with a block supporting circuit-terminals, of aremovable block supporting corresponding spring-terminals, the latterbeingjoined in pairs by safety-strips, as and for the purpose set forth.

, In testimony whereofwe affix oursignatures in presence of twowitnesses.

CHARLES G. PERKINS. JOHN TREGONING.

Witnesses:

LEONARD MoRsE, A. N. PREscoTT.

